Safety-razor.



B. AMES.

SAFETY RAZOR. APPLlcAnQN' man APR. 13. 191s.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

2 SHEETSnSHEETI BL AMES.

SAFETY RAZOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3, Isls.

.3,299,099. Patented Apr. 1,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SAE

BUTLER AMES, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY-RAZOR.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BUTLER. AMES, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex. and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety razors and more particularly to magnetic safety razors of the type disclosed in my prior Iatent 1,192,367, granted July 25, 1916, and my prior applications Sr. No. 173,110, filed June 6, 1917, Sr. No. 173,841, iiled June 9, 1917, Sr. No. 173,923, filed June 11, 1917, Sr. No. 185,174, led August 8, 1917, Sr. No. 186,501, led August 16, 1917. The subject matter of the present application is in part common to the respective prior 'applications and patents and I hereby make reference to the prior disclosures for a more detailed description of the common subject matter.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a safety razor of the general type referred to which does not require a cap to hold the blade in position on the guard when using the razor, which will accommodate a rigid blade, and which is so constructed as to direct substantially all of the magnetic flux through the blade. Another primary object of the invention is to :associate the blade with the other parts of the razor so that the blade may be positioned either in cutting relationship with one edge of the guard or in honing or stropping relationship with the opposite edge of the guard. Secondary objects of the invention will appear from the following description of the invention.

In one of its aspects the invention consists in providing, in combination with a guard member having guard teeth along at least one of its edges, a blade of considerable thickness, and magnetic means so arranged as to direct a stream of magnetic flux through the blade in such manner as to hold the blade on the guard when shaving. In each of my prior applications and patents I have disclosed a cap member of magnetic material surmounting the lblade together with a magnet acting upon the cap member to clamp the'blade against the guard but Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Application led April 13, 1918. Serial N0. 228.338.

according to the present invention the cap member may be omitted, .thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying the operation of the device. f

In another aspect the invention consists 1n so associating the blade with the other parts of the razor that it may be placed in one position for shaving and in another position for honing or stropping, the blade merely being reversed to change from one position to the other. For this purpose I provide means adapted to position the blade with the cutting edge at eitherl side of the guard, the positioning means being intermediste the edges of the lblade and being nearer one edge of the blade, whereby in one position of the blade the cutting edge is disposed over the guard teeth at one side of the guard and in the other position the cutting edge projects beyond the other side of the guard. The guard also eXends laterally from the positioning means farther onone side than on the other andwhen employing a cap over tha bladethe cap also extends farther to one s1 e.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a razor embodying one aspect of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the razor shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the same plane as Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan of the guard member of the razor shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in detached relationship and showing parts in section;

Fig. 5a is an end elevation of the razor shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a razor embodying both of the principal features of the Yresent invention;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the razor illustrated in Fig. 6, showing the parts in detached relationship;

Fig. S is a top plan of the razor illustrated in Fig. 6, with the blade removed;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, with the blade in position;

Fig. 10l 's a View similar to Fig. 6, showing the blade reversed for honing or stropplllg 3 ingr the parts in detached relationship;

ig. 13 is a top plan of the razor illustrated in Fig. 11, with the blade removed;

Fig. 14 is a View similar to Fig. 13, with the blade in position; and

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 11, with the blade reversed.

The particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5at comprises a U-magnet 1, a guard 2, a blade 3, and means for mounting the guard member 2 upon the ends of the U-magnet 1. The mounting means may be constructed in any one of a number of ways, as for example in any one of the ways illustrated in my prior applications, but I preferably c onstruct this means as disclosed in application Sr. No. 186,501.

This means comprises a cap member 4 fitting over each end of the U-magnet, thel cylindrical wall of the cap being split to provide a plurality of fingers adapted yieldingly to grip the ends of the magnet. Each cap is provided with an axial opening adapted to receive a pin 5 for laterally positioning the blade on the guard, the pin 5 being mounted either in the blade or the cap and being adapted to project into the other member but preferably being mounted in the cap as illustrated in the drawings. Extending upwardly from the cap4 around the axial opening is a ange 6, t e peripheral surface of which is eccentric with respect to the axis of the cap. Rigidly mounted on the flange 6 is a collar 7 having a recess adapted to receive a iiange 8 extending inwardly around the opening 9 from the guard 2. The opening 9 is somewhat elongated longitudinally of the guard, its width transversely of the guard being substantially equal to the diameter of the collar 7 and its length longitudinally of the guard being somewhat greater than the diameter of the collar 7 so that the eccentricI collar may rotate in the opening. By virtue of the eccentricity of collar 7 and the shape of opening 9 the guard member 2 is shifted laterally by rotation of the cap 4.

The blade 3 is so constructed and so associated with the other parts of the razor that it is held against the guard solely by the U-magnet acting directly upon the blade. rThe blade is made of such thickness as to contain substantially all the magnetic {'lux produced by the U-magnet and the guard member 2 is so constructed that it does not constitute a shunt for the magnetic iiux between the ends of the U-magnet. The guard member may be made non-magnetic in whole by forming it wholly of brass or some other non-magnetic material or yit may be magnet fiows through the cap members 4,

which are made of steel or other magnetic material, and thence through the blade 3. Owing to the size of the blade, and to the fact that it aiiords the only magnetic path between the poles of the magnet, and to the fact that the magnet is in the form of a U-magnet having relatively great strength, the blade is held against the guard .solely by the action of the magnetic flux flowing therethrough. If it is desired to regulate the guard member laterally with respect to the blade the cap members 4 may be rotated until the edge of the blade is in alinement 'with the edge of the guard and until the blade extends the proper distance upon the guard teeth. To remove the blade all that is necessary is to break the magnetic circuit either by pulling the guard from the magnet or by pulling the blade from the guard.

As explained 1n my prior application Sr. No. 173,923, the positioning pins are preferably made of non-magnetic material. The collar 7 may be of either magnetic or non-magnetic material, but is preferably made of non-magnetic material.

The invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 may b e utilized either with a double blade and guard as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 or with a single blade and guard as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10.

The razor illustrated in Figs., 6 to 10 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, but y differs therefrom in two essential respects, viz.: the blade and guard are single instead of double and the blade and guard extend farther from one side of the positioning pins than from the other side. Thus the guard 2a has teeth only on the right-hand side and the blade 3a has a cutting edge only on the right-hand side (Fig. 6), and both the guard and the blade extend a greater distance to the right than to the left of the positioning pins 5a. The pins 5 are so arranged that the blade 3a may be positioned on the guard with its cutting edge extending either to the right or to the left. When the blade is positioned with its cutting edge extending to the right the cutting edge extends over the guard teeth as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9, and when the bla-de is reversed the cutting edge extends beyond the opposite edge of the guard as illustrated in Fig. 10. For shaving purposes the blade is positioned as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9, and forhoning or stropping purposes the blade is positioned as illustrated in Fig. 10.

iioT

prises a U-magnet l", a guard 2", a blade'b,

positioning pins 5b, and -a cap member 10". he U-magnet and means for mounting the guard thereupon are preferably the same as illustrated in Figs. l to 5 and the guard member is substantially the same as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10. The cap member 10h is preferably shaped so as to extend into proximity to the cutting edge of the blade on one side and substantially to the other edge of the blade on the other side. mounting the positioning pins on the guard member I have shown them mounted on the cap member in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 11 to 15. When so mounted the pins are preferably of magnetic material and extend through openings l1b into contact with the ends of the U-magnet, the ends of the pins being flat So as to make contact throughout their entire cross-sectional area with the ends of the U-magnet. The pins, when thus arranged to carry the magnetic iux, are

.preferably made of somewhat larger crosssectional area than when not carry the flux.

The guard 2b is arranged so as not to constitute a magnetic shunt and the members 4b are also preferably made of brass or other non-magnetic material. j

When employing a cap as in Figs. 11 to 15 the, cap is made of magnetic material and preferably carries substantially all of the magnetic flux; although a certain amount of the iiux passes through the blade, when employing a steel blade, ythe amount of fiux passing through the blade depending upon the thickness of the blade.

Owing to the fact that the guard, blade employed to and cap extend farther to one side of the leo positioning pins than to the other side the cutting edge of the blade may be extended beyond the rear edges of the guard and cap by reversing the blade as shown in Fig. Y15. In this position the blade may be conveniently honed or stropped, the blade being turned over from time to time during thel honing or stropping operation if desired. In order to facilitate the honing or stropping operation the rear edges 12b and 13b of the guard and cap illustrated. e

An important feature of my improved razor resides in the effective area of contact between the magnet and the cap when using a cap, or between the magnet and the blade when no cap is employed. In the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10, where the guards 2, pins 5, and rings 7 are made of non- Instead of are preferably rounded as magnetic material, and the sleeves 4 are made of magnetic material, substantially all of the flux Hows to the blade through the sleeves 6, the upper portions of these sleeves forming relatively thin rings around pins 5 as shown in Figs. 4 and 8. rlhe cross-sectional area of the rings forming the upper parts of sleeves 6 is obviously small compared either with the area of the ends of the blade or with the cross-sectional area ofthe magnet. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 11 to 15, where the guard 2b and sleeves 4b are non-magnetic and the pins 5b are magnetic, substantially all the iuX flows through the pins 5", the cross-sectional area of which is obviously small. Owing to this restricted area of contact between the magnet and the cap when using a cap, or between the magnet and the blade when no'cap is employed, the blade is much less easily dislodged than when the magnet is in magnetic contact with the cap or blade throughout the entire end of the c-ap or blade or throughout a relatively wide area.

.blade aga-inst the guard when shaving.

2. A safety razor comprising a guard member, a blade surmounting the guard member, means for positioning the blade laterally of the guard member, and means for directing a magnetic flux through the blade so as to hold the blade against the guard member when shaving.

3. A safety razor comprising a guard member, a blade surmounting the guard member, and means for directing a magnetic flux through' the blade so as to hold the bladel against theguard when shaving, the blade being uncovered so that it may bereleased by breaking the magnetic circuit therethrou h. Y

4. A sa ety razor comprising a guard member, a blade surmounting the guardv member, and means for directing a magnetic flux through the blade so as to hold the blade against the guard, the blade being of such thickness and the magnetic means'being so arranged that the blade is held against the guard when shaving substantially solely by the magnetic flux.

5. A safety razor comprising a guard` member, a blade surmounting the guard member, and a U-magnet arranged to direct lOl acting directly upon the blade to hold it against the guard when shaving.

7. A safety razor comprising a guard, a blade on one side of the guard, and a magnet onthe other side of the guard, the magnet being arranged tol direct a stream of magnetic iux through the guard at spaced points and thence through the blade, and the blade being uncovered so that it may be removed by breaking the magnetic circuit.

48. A safety razor comprising a guard, a blade on one side of the guard, and a magnet on the other side of the guard, the magnet being arranged to directa stream of magnetic flux through the guard at spaced points and thence through the blade, and the blade being of sufficient thickness to contain substantially all the flux of the magnet, whereby the blade is held on the guard during shaving Vsolely by' the magnetic flux.

`9. A safety razor comprising a guard member having guard teeth disposed along one side, a blade surmounting the guard member having a cutting edge at one side,

and means for laterally positioning the blade on the guard, said means being adapted to position the blade with said cutting edge at either side of the guard and being disposed nearer one edge of the guard.

10. A safety razor comprising a guard having guard teeth along one edge, a blade having a cutting edge along one side, magnetic means for holding the blade on the guard for use in shaving, said means having a magnetic circuit which when broken permits the blade to be removed from the guard, and positioning means extending between the guard and blade laterally to position the blade on the guard, the positioning means being disposed nearer one edge of the guard.

than the other edge and the blade being so proportioned that in one position its cutting edge is disposed in operative relationship to vthe guard teeth and in the reverse position its cutting edge extends beyond the opposite side of the guard, whereby the blade may be shifted from shaving position into honing position by breaking said magnetic circuit and reversing the blade.

11. A safety razor comprising ya guard, a blade surmounting the guard, and magnetic means arranged to direct a magnetic ux through said blade to hold the blade against the guard for use in shaving, the magnetic means being in magnetic contact with the blade only throughout restricted areas.

12. A safety razor comprising a guard, a blade surmounting the guard, and a magnet having spaced poles arranged to draw the blade against the guard, the poles of the magnet being in magnetic contact with the blade only throughout restricted areas.

13. A safety razor comprising a guard, a blade surmounting the guard, and magnetic means including a magnet having spaced poles arranged to hold the blade on the guard, the area of magnetic contact between the magnet poles and the blade being substantially less than the cross-sectional area of the magnet poles.

14. A safety razor comprising a guard, a blade on one side of the guard, a magnet arranged on the other side of the guard to draw the blade against the guard; and magnetic pieces extending through the guard between the blade and the magnet.

15. A safety razor comprising a guard, a

'blade on one Side of the guard, a magnet arranged on the other side of the guard to drawthe blade against the guard, and magnetic pieces extending through the guard between the blade and the magnet, the magnetic pieces being of small cross-sectional area.

Signed' by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this fourth day of April 1918.

BUTLER Es. 

